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Residents question borough’s dry status

Roaring Spring citizens, business owners want referendum on ending alcohol prohibition

Rodney Green (left) and Anita Baker, members of a group trying to get a referendum on the May 21 ballot to allow the sale of alcohol in Roaring Spring, chat with Rob Berkheimer, vice president of The Hungry Duck Eatery, which could benefit from alcohol sales. Mirror photo by Gary M. Baranec

ROARING SPRING — A group of Roaring Spring residents and business owners believe it is time for a change.

That’s why they plan to circulate petitions to get a referendum on the May 21 primary election ballot to overturn the prohibition of alcohol sales in the borough.

Roaring Spring has been “dry” since the start of prohibition on Jan. 16, 1920.

“At the end of prohibition (on Dec. 5, 1933), Roaring Spring Bor­ough Council passed an ordinance to prohibit the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages,” Borough Council member Rodney Green said.

Green and Charlene Dodson, owner of Charlotte’s Trove, are among those leading the referendum effort.

They will need to obtain 156 signatures — the number of signatures equal to at least 25 percent of the highest vote cast for any office in that municipality in the preceding general election — between Feb. 19 and March 12 to get the referendum on the ballot, according to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.

Green said being “dry” has hurt economic development in the area.

“There are new business owners and startups that are interested in having alcoholic beverages available. It is time to look at the issue,” Green said. “I think not having alcohol sales in the hospitality and restaurant industry is an impediment. I want to see businesses grow, and alcohol sales are a part of a successful business model. Anything we can do to enhance the business climate, we have an obligation to do that.”

“I think the realization is we are losing an opportunity for economic development in the southern part of Blair County,” Dodson said. “This could help the economy and socialization of the community.”

Dodson said she is interested to see what the voters have to say.

“This is not about creating bars and a broken nose atmosphere. It is about the possibility of a nice restaurant where you can sit down with a cocktail or a glass of wine. This would also make things more responsible. There would be licenses, and the licensee would have to be responsible. We are not creating a bar filled with people breaking up the joint,” Dodson said.

The referendum could be a help to businesses such as The Hungry Duck Eatery and Spring House Grille, both of which offer BYOB (bring your own bottle).

“If the referendum passes, it gives them the opportunity to obtain an alcohol sales license; it makes the opportunity available,” Green said.

Once it receives certified election results, the PLCB would accept liquor license applications for establishments in the newly wet municipality. However, residents in affected municipalities can appeal the vote, which might affect the issuing of licenses.

The PLCB cannot issue new retail liquor licenses or malt beverage distributor licenses if the county in which the newly wet municipality is, is at or over its quota. Licenses existing in other municipalities in the county would have to be transferred into the newly wet municipality. Retail liquor and malt beverage distributor licenses cannot be transferred across county lines, according to the PLCB website.

The Hungry Duck Vice Presi­­dent Rob Berkheimer is in favor of the referendum.

“I think it would be good to explore other opportunities for economic development and social opportunities within the community,” Berkheimer said. “I am 30. A lot of my friends left be­cause there is nothing to do around here. I think it would help a town like this.”

Berkheimer said he has lost some business as a result of not having a license to sell alcohol.

“We are a BYOB facility. We bring in a lot of music on weekends. Some people don’t know it is BYOB and ask where can they go to get some beer. There is nothing around. Bands find out and don’t want to come. I’ve lost some good bands for that reason,” Berkheimer said.

Community business leaders have different opinions on the idea.

Doug Mingle, owner of Roaring Spring True Value, said allowing alcohol sales could be beneficial to some businesses.

“I know in the restaurant and hospitality industry it is almost essential to be able to sell alcohol. It could make a real difference to those businesses,” Mingle said. “Anyone who wants to go to that type of establishment has to leave town. I have no objections to it.”

Dan Hoover, chairman and CEO of Roaring Spring Blank Book Co., is not in favor of the referendum.

“My great-great-grand­father (Daniel Bare) eliminated the sale of alcohol in the community many, many years ago. He was a staunch Christian and didn’t believe alcohol should be for sale. I am also a Christian. I think if it is for sale, it needs to be managed well,” Hoover said. “I am not negative to alcohol. I enjoy a glass of wine, but I am not really in favor of it. If it is available, it has to be policed properly.”

The Roaring Spring Ministerium has not taken a stand on the issue.

“I think our community has always been dry and a lot of people would like to see it stay that way. The reality is that many people drink and you don’t have to go far to get alcohol,” said Rachel Neely-Pletcher, ministerium president and interim pastor at Bare Memorial Church of God. “I don’t have a strong opinion either way. We haven’t taken any stance, but we would encourage people of age to drink responsibly.”

Green said it is important to educate the public about the proposed change.

“This is called the Roaring Spring Alcohol Referendum. We will set up a Facebook page for people to get more information. There will be information on who to contact to sign the petition,” Green said. “We have obtained walking lists of registered voters by street. We plan to go door-to-door seeking signatures. Business owners will have petitions and ask customers to sign.”

Green and Dodson are optimistic they will get the referendum on the ballot and it will pass.

Green said in recent years the Martinsburg VFW and Roaring Spring American Legion have successfully obtained club licenses allowing them to sell alcohol to members.

“I am optimistic. I honestly believe if the citizens in town look at the issue and understand it, it is a different world we live in. I don’t think it will change things one bit. You would have to be a fool to believe alcohol is not being consumed in Roaring Spring,” Green said. “The Legion vote was a good sign.”

“I truly believe the timing could be right. We have to think how we can promote positive possibilities that may occur. We hope people can look at it as a potential to increase economic development and social development as a town,” Dodson said. “The legalization of marijuana is on the national and state radar. We could end up with a dispensary before we have a place to have a cocktail. We have to look at the positive things that can come out of this, not the negative.”

Meanwhile, in January the Altoona-Blair County Airport Authority ex­pressed interest in reviving its pursuit of a liquor license to use at the airport, a decision that will need to first go before North Wood­bury Township voters.

With a favorable vote, the authority would be in a position to ask the state for a liquor license to use only at the airport in the dry township.

For several years, airport authority members have spoken about their interest in a liquor license because airport restaurant operators have repeatedly struggled to attract enough patrons to stay open.

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 946-7467.

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